04.10. SHADOW: Joseph, the Silent Suffering Servant
Shadow: Joseph, the Silent Suffering Servant
Genesis 39:1-20 AUDIO http://www.exposingtheword.com/SHADOWS/MP3s%20Shadows/10%20Shadow-%20Joseph%20Silent%20Suffering%20Servant.mp3
We continue with the foreshadow of Joseph that gives us a unique glimpse into the character of Christ in parallel or foreshadowing.
We began last session with the foreshadow of Joseph the favorite son and now we will look at Joseph the silent suffering servant.
As we left off our story Joseph, because of jealousy had been sold by his brother into slavery and Jacob was lead to believe that a wild animal killed Joseph.
I- Prosperous Servant:
We pick up the story of Joseph after he has been sold again in Egypt to a man named Potiphar. Genesis 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. The first thing we notice is that God was with Joseph and made Potiphar prosper because of it. Genesis 39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
God had caused Joseph to be prosperous in spite of others attempts to bring him down.
We have no doubt whatsoever that the Lord Jesus walked on the earth in a close relationship with the Father. We also know that in spite of all that took place Christ prospered. Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
II- Both Were Given Authority:
We will spend next week looking at the Sovereign ruler of the kingdom. Here we see that Joseph is given authority as a servant over the house of Potiphar. Genesis 39:4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
This pictures for us all power given to Christ, the servant of God. John 3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
Joseph please Potiphar and we know that Christ please the Father in all things.
III- Both Faces Temptations:
Joseph, was a man who was handsome. Joseph had all the things of Potiphar in his control except for one thing. The mans wife. Genesis 39:5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
Now Joseph, as he went about his duties of oversight of the house would face a great temptation to become sidetracked from his duties.
Genesis 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
Joseph faced temptation to sin. But He refused.
Lets go now to the wilderness after Jesus was baptized by John. We find the temptation of Christ recorded in Matthew 4. Lets look a few verses to see the temptation. Matthew 4:1-5 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple...The temptation of Jesus was for a period of forty days. Forty days in which Christ was tempted to eat as He fasted and other things. How complete was this temptation to get side tracked. We are told in Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Beloved Jesus understands when we are tempted to do wrong. He faced it. He also can give us the strength to overcome the temptation if we surrender to Him.
IV- The Silent Suffering Servant:
Back to Joseph’s story. We pick it up again in Genesis 39:11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. 13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Joseph is put in prison for doing nothing wrong. As a matter of fact he did everything right. One thing that is noticeable absent from the story is the defense of Joseph. We can see the inference is that he suffering the injustice in silence. He was placed in prison unjustly.
The foreshadow of this is great and perhaps the main point the Holy Spirit wants to point out today. Christ is foreshadowed here as the suffering silent servant. Notice the false witnesses that were sought against Christ. Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death. 60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses...
The charges against Joseph was by false witness of Potiphar’s wife. These false witnesses against Christ spoke and accused Him of talking about destroying the temple. Look at the response of Christ. Matthew 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Then when Jesus was taken before Pilate notice what is said. Matthew 27:13-14 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
Isaiah 53:6-7 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Praise God that Jesus never defended His innocence because if He had gone free then beloved we would not be free by His blood.
I feel it important that we not leave the scene to day without a final word that shows the outcome of the suffering servant. Let me illustrate it with a story.
It was June 18, 1815, the Battle of Waterloo. The French under the command of Napoleon were fighting the Allies (British, Dutch, and Germans) under the command of Wellington. The people of England depended on a system of signals to find out how the battle was going. One of these signal stations was on the tower of Winchester Cathedral. Late in the day it flashed the signal: "W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N- -- D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D- -."
Just at that moment one of those sudden English fog-clouds made it impossible to read the message. The news of defeat quickly spread throughout the city. The whole countryside was sad and gloomy when they heard the news that their country had lost the war.
Suddenly the fog lifted, and the remainder of the message could be read. The message had four words, not two. The complete message was: "W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N-- -D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D- - T-H-E- - -E-N-E-M-Y!" It took only a few minutes for the good news to spread. Sorrow was turned into joy, defeat was turned into victory!
Beloved Joseph will be put into prison and will suffer many things. Christ suffered many things as well but beloved the fog does not need to cloud the outcome. He arose, He arose, the message is not that He was just a suffering servant who would die but that He lives, he lives.